


A Light at the End of the Tunnel

by Fandom_Stuff



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Basements, Hospitals, M/M, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2020-01-01 06:59:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18330950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandom_Stuff/pseuds/Fandom_Stuff
Summary: Sam, Dean, and Cas are kidnapped.Sam grunted as something hit him, there was a sizzle of something hot against skin and soon Sam was screaming in pain. Dean felt panic seize him. His little brother was upstairs being tortured and there was nothing he could do about it. All his life that's all he'd known how to do, protect Sammy, watch out for Sammy, don't let Sammy get hurt.Dean couldn't take it anymore, he stood up, pulling at the chains and letting the handcuffs dig into his wrists, "Leave him alone!" Dean screamed, his eyes bursting with tears as he shouted, "Take me! Take me instead! Let him go!" Dean yanked against the chains but slipped back to the ground as they resisted. Sam's screaming stopped momentarily and Dean heard him murmur, "No, please don't,"





	1. Chapter 1

Something sharp was digging into Dean’s back, a pounding in his head made him squeeze his eyes tighter shut. He could taste blood in his mouth and feel the dried metallic liquid coating his face and torso. Cold steel was clamped around Dean’s wrists and there was a slight pressure on his left leg, opening his eyes slowly he saw that the pressure was Cas. The angel’s hands were tied behind his back with handcuffs, just like Deans, and his trench coat was torn at the right shoulder, blood dripping slowly from a wound Dean couldn’t see. The room they were in was dimly lit, with one light bulb glowing ominously from the ceiling and the sound of dripping water echoing off the walls. 

“Cas,” Dean grumbled, his words were slurred as they escaped his swollen mouth. He spit out blood and something hard, which Dean assumed was part of one of his teeth, “Cas,” Dean moved his leg and   
Cas fell limply off it. “Cas!” Dean said louder this time, worry starting to take hold of him. 

The angel groaned, “Dean?” 

Dean shut his eyes in relief, “Dammit Cas, where are we?” 

Cas sat up slowly, finding it difficult to get a grip on the slippery surface that was the concrete floor. Cas’s eyes flitted around the room, confusion plain on his face, “I don’t know.” 

Dean suddenly had a flash of memory, he had been sitting with Sam and Cas against the Impala when something struck him from behind, he had tried to fight it, but a fist hit him in the face so hard he saw stars, and then there was a sharp pain in his abdomen as the steel of a knife penetrated flesh, the last thing he had heard was Sam yelling his name. SAM. “Sam!” Dean yelled, how could he have nearly forgotten about his brother. “Sam!” 

“I don’t think he’s here, Dean.” Cas said. 

Something moved above their heads as what sounded like something heavy was dragged across the floor. Dean felt his heart stutter slightly in his chest as he heard a grunt and a yelp of pain. It was only seconds later that the screaming started. Dean recognized the sound immediately. “SAM!” Dean tried to scramble to his feet but he slipped back down onto the ground, chains attached to his handcuffs pulling him back. He grunted with pain as the wound on his side reminded him that it was there. “SAM!” Dean screamed again.

The tortured yells of Dean’s younger brother suddenly stopped and the sound of a door being pulled open on rusty hinges made Dean’s blood go cold. The unmistakable click of heels echoed against the damp concrete floor as their captor came into view. She had dark brown hair, black leather covering her from head to toe, and her eyes were a menacing blue. Her calf-high boots came to a stop in front of Dean, “Sam!” She mimicked Dean’s cries, “yelling won’t save your brother.” 

Dean grit his teeth, “You let my brother go you son of a bitch!” 

“Now is that anyway to treat a lady,” The woman said, her teeth showing through a malicious smile. 

“If you hurt my brother again I swear…” 

“You’ll what? Kill me?” She laughed, “I don’t think you’re in any position to be making threats, Dean.” 

Cas suddenly spoke up, “Who are you and why are we here?” 

The woman turned to Cas with a slight frown, “Oh, I’d almost forgotten you were here, Castiel.” 

“How do you know who we are?” Cas asked. 

The woman smirked, “Wouldn’t you like to know.” Cas tipped his head to the side in confusion and Dean knew that of course Cas wanted to know, that’s why he asked. The woman let out an exasperated sigh and faced Dean again, “I’m going to do whatever I want to your brother and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” She bent low to take Dean’s face in her hand, Dean tried to jerk his head away but she held fast, “Just be patient and wait your turn.” 

With that she left, leaving Dean and Cas alone. Dean struggled against the chains but they were strong, too strong for Dean to break out of even if he was at full strength. He’d gotten out of some tight spots before, but this time, something was different. The chains fell back to the ground with a clink and Dean grunted in anger. The sound of a voice above them made Dean freeze. 

“What do you want?” That was Sam, his voice was muffled by the ceiling but it was him. 

“I’m not here to talk about my wants, I’m here to make you suffer.” The voice of the woman was filled with malice, and Dean noted, excitement. 

Sam grunted as something hit him, there was a sizzle of something hot against skin and soon Sam was screaming in pain. Dean felt panic seize him. His little brother was upstairs being tortured and there was nothing he could do about it. All his life that’s all he’d known how to do, protect Sammy, watch out for Sammy, don’t let Sammy get hurt. “I’m so sorry Sam,” Dean muttered. 

“It’s not your fault Dean,” Cas said quietly. He too was grimacing at every sound Sam made and his eyes hadn’t left the ceiling until now. His piercing blue gaze was upon Dean as he was forced to listen to his brother’s screams. 

“I shouldn't have let my guard down, I should have known something was sneaking up on us.” Dean said. 

Cas was about to say more but he was interrupted by the worst sound Dean had ever heard, and Dean had heard a lot, he’d been in hell he’d seen torture first hand, he’d tortured and hurt, he knew how to make people scream, but this, this was something Dean had never heard before, this was true agony and Sam was the one in pain. 

Dean couldn’t take it anymore, he stood up ignoring the pain in his side, pulling at the chains and letting the handcuffs dig into his wrists, “Leave him alone!” Dean screamed, his eyes bursting with tears as he shouted, “Take me! Take me instead! Let him go!” Dean yanked against the chains but slipped back to the ground as they resisted. Sam’s screaming stopped momentarily and Dean heard him murmur, “No, please don’t.” 

NO? No? What was she doing to him? Sam was begging her to stop. Dean had only ever heard him sound so small and that was when they were kids and Dean had comforted his little brother after a nightmare about their mother. There were no more screams and Dean suddenly feared the worst. The door to the basement opened and the woman walked into the dim light. 

“Take you? Huh?” She asked. 

Dean brought himself to his knees, he didn’t like begging, but this was Sam, this was his little brother, “Please, just don’t hurt Sam, take me, do whatever you want to me, but leave my brother alone.”  
She crouched down beside Dean, so their eyes were level, “now why would I do that? When the greatest way to make you suffer is to watch your baby brother die.” 

Dean’s stomach dropped in fear, “no,” He murmured as she stuck something into his arm that made his eyes droop. The sound of the chains dropping off his handcuffs reached him as a sound from a dream and then he was guided up the stairs into a bright white room stained in blood. There he was strapped to a chair across from Sam, whose head hung loosely to one side, blood dripping from his mouth, his shirt singed at the center leaving the flesh underneath red and hot. A small pinch in Dean’s arms brought his vision fully back, “Sam!” He yelled. 

Sam’s eyes fluttered at the sound of Dean’s voice, “Dean?” 

Dean brightened at his brother’s voice, even though it was muffled by blood, “That’s right Sammy, I’m here, it’s okay.” 

Sam didn’t have time to even open his eyes before a fist was brought down on his face. Sam grunted, blood mixed with spit drabbling onto the white floor. “That’s quite enough of that.” 

Dean fixed his gaze on her as Sam tried to sit up, “Why do you want us dead?” 

She turned her eyes to Dean, her bottom lip trembling in anger, “You killed my family!” 

So this was a revenge play, Dean had handled plenty of those before, “look, whatever I did, I had a good reason for it.” 

“The usual excuses,” she spat, “Everyone thinks I care about the reasons. I know who you are Dean Winchester, you’re a hunter, probably the best hunter this world has ever seen. I don’t care why you did it because I know why, now, I just care that you get punished for it.” She turned back to Sam, who was slowly drooping to unconsciousness, his eyes swelling around the edges, “And you misunderstand me, Dean. I don’t want you dead. I want you to watch as I take everything away from you and leave you to rot as their bodies decay around you, with one constant thought plaguing your mind,” she glanced over her shoulder and her mouth twitched at the corner, “why couldn’t I save them? It’s all my fault.” Her hand reached for a knife at her belt and she straddled Sam, pressing the blade into his face as she said, “because it is Dean, it is all your fault.” 

Sam cried out again but this time with less energy, he was slowly fading away, his mind wanting to escape into darkness. “Sam,” Dean shouted, “Sammy you need to stay awake.” 

The woman grabbed Sam by the hair and pulled his head up, bringing her face close to his as she drew a small line down his forehead to his chin, “Didn’t you hear your brother Sam?” She cooed softly, “It’s time to wake up.” Dean watched, helplessly, as she drove the blade into Sam’s chest, right beside his heart. Sam gasped heavily his eyes widening as the woman pulled the knife from him and wiped it off with a cloth. Then she brought her foot up to Sam’s chest and pushed, sending the chair backwards where it landed with a sickening thud. 

“Sam!” Dean yelled, his voice breaking. 

“He’s alive,” the woman said as she placed the knife back in its sheath. “For now, but the blood loss will set in soon, and then, who knows.” 

“Bitch.” Dean growled, his green eyes were laced with anger as he glared at the woman. 

“I thought we agreed that’s not how you speak to a lady, I’m going to have to punish you for that. I think I’ll go drag my next plaything up from the basement.” 

“No,” Dean’s plea was lost to the wind as the woman left Dean in the room with his slowly dying brother, “not Cas too.” Dean whispered. “Sam?” Dean called hopefully, there was no answer and Dean’s stomach clenched in fear. “Please don’t be dead Sammy, please answer me!” 

The woman reappeared, dragging a limp Cas behind her, she strapped him to a chair that Dean hadn’t noticed was sitting in the corner and then gave him something to wake him up. “Dean?” Cas’s eyes fluttered open as he tried to take in the room, “what’s going on?”

“Dean is paying for his crimes.” The woman said as she ran her fingers down Cas’s face, “He’s rather pretty isn’t he?” 

“You’re beef is with me, not with them, let them go.” Dean tried to beg again. 

The woman scoffed at him, “You know what your brother said to me, when he heard you ask to take his place, he said, ‘no, please don’t’. He begged me to let it be him and not you.”   
Dean swallowed hard, realizing the plea he had heard Sam say wasn’t a plea to stop the pain, but to keep Dean from feeling it. Dean clenched his teeth as the woman hit Cas hard across the face. Cas spat blood onto the floor, bringing his head back up to glare at the woman, “Too bad you’re just human now, I’d rather have an angel to play with, they heal so fast, and then you get to start all over again.” 

“Who are you?” Cas asked, his voice a deep growl. 

She sighed, her eyes moving up and down Cas’s body, “I suppose there’s no harm in telling you is there?” She faced Dean, a smile growing on her lips as her eyes flashed black, “My name is Apopis.”


	2. Chapter 2

“You’re the demon of chaos,” Cas said. 

Apopis smiled darkly her eyes flashing back to the blue of her unwilling vessel, “you know your stuff Castiel, I’m impressed.” 

Dean tore his eyes away from Sam’s crumpled form and looked at the demon, “What’s the real reason you want me to suffer, demons don’t have family.” 

“Every demon you’ve killed is my family.” 

“Why do you care?” Dean asked. 

“Azazel was like a father to me, he taught me everything I know, and you murdered him.” 

Dean snorted, “he deserved it.” 

She turned to him, her eyes flashing black again, “you killed him because he killed your parents, I’m just doing the exact same thing. I want justice for Azazel's death just like you wanted justice for your parents.” 

“It wasn’t just my parents that he killed,” Dean growled. 

Apopis wasn’t listening anymore, she was looming over Cas, her knife in hand. “I’m going to make you feel every minute of this.” 

Cas let out a cry that he tried to stifle but it came out as a deep throated grunt. The knife was drawing lines across Cas’s torso like he was a canvas and his blood was the paint. When she grew tired of Cas she moved over to where Sam was crumpled on the floor. She pushed Sam sharply with her foot, Sam groaned in response, Dean was overcome with relief that he wasn’t dead. Apopis pulled the chair upright and Sam’s head flopped forwards. His face was ghostly white and his shirt was soaked in blood. Apopis crossed to a bag that lay beside the door, there she sifted through the bag until she found a white box labeled FIRST AID. Moving back to Sam she opened the box and wordlessly pulled string from its depths. She took her time threading the needle, watching Sam’s life slowly ebb away. Dean just watched with bated breath as she began to stitch up the wound in his chest. When she finished she closed the box and shot Dean a quick smile, “I’m curious to see if he’ll survive the night.” 

With that she left, shutting off the light as she did so. Dean started to struggle against the handcuffs, he didn’t care if he had to break his wrists, he had to get to Sam’s side. Dean forced himself to calm down, “Sammy?” He called through the darkness. Sam groaned softly, “Sammy, just stay with me okay? Stay awake, I’m going to figure this out.” 

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t doze off,” Cas said with a grunt. He started speaking to Sam quietly in what Dean thought was Enochian. 

Dean’s thoughts raced, his handcuffs were tied to the chair and so were his ankles. He shifted slightly against his bonds, slowly working his thumb in his other hand. There was a slightly sickening pop and his thumb slipped out of its socket and with that Dean slid his hand through the handcuff. Wincing in pain he slid two of his fingers into his pocket and pulled out a paper clip. Carefully he worked the lock and soon his other wrist popped free. Dean gripped his injured thumb in his left hand and pressed it back into place. He quickly untied his feet and then rushed to Sam’s side. 

“Sammy!?” Dean grabbed his brothers face, trying to see through the dark. 

Sam mumbled something and Dean shrugged his long sleeve flannel shirt off his shoulders and pressed it into a ball, bringing it up to Sam’s chest to help staunch the flow of blood. Sam tried to speak again but Dean shushed him. “Don’t speak,” he whispered. 

“Get out,” Sam mumbled loud enough for Dean to hear this time, “leave us.” 

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” Dean said, “I’m not leaving you or Cas.” 

“No, he’s right Dean, you can get out, just go,” Cas’s voice came from somewhere to Dean’s right. 

“We’re all going to get out of here,” Dean said as he undid Sam’s bonds. 

“Cas can make it,” Sam said quietly, “take him and leave me.” 

Dean fumbled with the last bit of rope, “Stop talking like that Sam, you don’t know what you’re saying.” The rope came free and Dean made sure his shirt was pressed to Sam’s wound before he moved to Cas. This time he quickly got Cas free and helped the angel stand. Cas was in better shape than Sam and together he helped Dean pull Sam to his feet. Sam fell against Dean and Cas, his legs completely buckling underneath him. 

“Woah there Sammy, I got you, don’t worry,” Dean said as he carefully hoisted Sam up. 

Cas reached out to open the door but found it locked. “What now?” He grunted. 

“Can you manage Sam?” Dean asked.

“I think so,” Cas said as he took all of Sam’s weight. 

Dean stepped back from the door and brought his foot up to crash into the wood. The door burst from its hinges, sending wood splintering in different directions. He helped Cas get Sam through the door and then they were in a dark hallway. With Sam hanging limply from between Dean and Cas they made their way down the hall. Suddenly, the hallway was filled with light and the dark shape of their captor emerged in front of them.

“Just where do you think you’re going?” She hissed. 

Dean lifted Sam’s arm from his shoulder, giving Sam to Cas, “Go, I’ll hold her off.” 

“Dean,” Cas began. 

“GO!” Dean yelled as he surged forward. Apopis met him halfway, bringing her arm up to block Dean’s punch.

“They won’t get far,” Apopis said with a grin. 

Dean didn’t respond as he brought his other fist up to her face, she winced into the blow and Dean kicked her in the leg, making her crumple to the ground. The door at the end of the hallway closed with a loud bang and Dean knew he only had to hold the demon off for a little while longer so Sam and Cas could get away. The momentary distraction of the door had allowed for Apopis to swipe Dean’s legs out from under him. He hit the ground with a breathtaking thud, gasping for air, he turned on his side as Apopis advanced. 

“You’re determined, I’ll give you that,” Apopis said as she drew her knife from her belt. 

Dean scrambled to his feet only to be pushed back down by Apopis. He faced her as she brought the blade close to his neck. “You may have bought them time, but I will find them again.” 

Dean shook his head, “Cas will get Sam to safety, you’ll never find them.” 

“When they come back to get you I will,” Apopis replied with a smirk. “You know they’re never going to leave you Dean, they love you too much.” 

“They won’t be able to come and find me for a few days, at least,” Dean replied, “Sam won’t let Cas come back alone and Cas won’t let Sam come with him in that state.” 

“I wouldn’t count on that, Sam is resilient, as soon as he can walk he’ll come for you.” Dean just glowered at Apopis as the butt of the knife came down on his head.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean’s eyes opened slowly to find that he was back in the basement he had first woken up in, but this time the chain was coming from the ceiling, suspending his hands above his head and making his feet just barely touch the ground. His shirt was in a heap at the edge of the room and beside it was the dark shape of Apopis. She was leaning against the wall, twirling her knife between her fingers impatiently. 

When she saw that Dean was awake she started to move forward. Dean didn’t let any emotion cross his face although he could feel his heart thumping in his chest. ‘As long as Sam and Cas are safe whatever she does to me is worth it,’ Dean thought. 

Apopis stopped a few inches from Dean, her mouth twitching into a smile, “you’ve forced my hand Dean,” she said, “Now that I’ve lost my other two toys you’ll have to do.” 

Dean didn’t say anything as Apopis took the final step that brought her face right up to Dean’s. Dean turned his head to glare at her as he felt the first cut slice through his exposed skin. He gritted his teeth but he didn’t cry out, he’d felt much worse. Dean worked to control his winces everytime the knife dug deeper into his chest. Dean finally decided to say something, “you can torture me all you want, it’s not going to change anything, everything you’re doing has already been done to me.” 

Apopis grinned wickedly, “oh yes, that’s right, you’ve already been to hell.” 

Apopis moved behind Dean and slowly pressed the point of the knife beside his spinal cord. She went down his back, pressing the knife in deep each time. Dean’s eyes were starting to water in pain but he wasn’t going to give in, he wasn’t going to call out. Apopis moved back in front of Dean, her eyes shining in annoyance. She punched him in the face, Dean spat blood onto the floor. She pummeled him with blow after blow, kick after kick until Dean felt one of his ribs splinter. “Your pain tolerance is higher than I expected.” 

Dean glared at her, trying to catch his breath through the sharp pain in his ribs, “Like I said, everything you’re doing to me, has already been done.” 

“Well then, I guess I was wrong, maybe I do need to kill you. The worst thing I could do is send you back to hell.” Apopis was spinning her knife in her hands, her eyes flashing black. 

For the first time since he had heard Sammy screaming in pain hours earlier, Dean felt real fear. He didn’t want to go back there, he couldn’t go back there, not again. But Dean didn’t let it show, he just stared blankly at Apopis, not letting his eyes betray his feelings. Apopis reached up towards Dean’s wrists and carefully she dug the blade into the skin of his forearm before doing the same to his other arm. Apopis left after that, letting Dean dangle from the ceiling, warm blood sliding down his arms and dripping onto his chest where it mingled with the blood from the other wounds he had been inflicted with. 

Dean felt his eyelids start to grow heavy, his mind dropping to unconsciousness, his brain starting to go fuzzy as the reaches of death started to come for him. Dean blinked, trying to keep his head from falling forward, but it was too much, he was losing too much blood. The one thought that kept replaying over and over in his head was that Sam and Cas were safe, they were okay, he had gotten them out, he had done his job.   
****  
Dean opened his eyes to see that he was in a tunnel with soft earth underneath his feet and a light at the end of the tunnel calling him forward. As Dean drew nearer he saw a figure standing in the light, it was a figure Dean recognized immediately. 

“Dad?” Dean stopped a few feet from the figure who was facing away from Dean. 

At Dean’s voice the figure turned and faced him, “Dean.” 

Dean felt tears come to his eyes as he saw the smiling face of his father. “I saved him Dad, Sammy, I saved him, he’s okay, I did my job, I got him out.” Dean started to try and explain everything to his father but John Winchester just put a hand on Dean’s shoulder and pulled him to his chest. 

“I know, son. I know, you did good Dean. You did good.” 

Dean felt like a child again, wrapped in his father’s arms, he never wanted to let go. “I’m so sorry, Dad.” 

John’s voice was a whisper in his ear, “you have nothing to be sorry for.” 

Dean pulled away from his father, his green eyes filled with tears, “I couldn’t save you.” 

John shook his head, a half-smile on his face, “you weren’t supposed to. It was my job to save you.” There was a moment of silence where Dean and John just stared at each other then Dean took a step towards the light only to be blocked by his father. “No.” 

Dean looked back at John in confusion, “what?” 

“Your time isn’t up yet Dean, you’re not dying today.” 

Dean shook his head, “no, no, I don’t want to go back, I want to stay here, with you.” 

“Sam still needs you.” 

“He has Cas, he’ll be okay.” Dean argued, “He doesn’t need me anymore.” 

John just looked at Dean, his eyes soft and understanding, “Sam will always need you Dean, and you will always need him. Today is not the day you give up. You still have work to do.”  
****  
Dean gasped as air filled his lungs, he was no longer in the basement of some demons fortress he was in a hospital. An IV was stuck into his arm, his ribs were bandaged and his wrists were covered in thick gauze. Cas was the first face Dean saw when he looked to his right. The angel was grinning at Dean, his blue eyes bright, “you’re awake.” 

Dean groaned in response, his first thought was about his brother, “Sam,” he rasped. “Where’s Sam, is he…” 

Cas cut Dean off, “he’s fine, Dean. We made it out in time.” 

Dean let his head fall back onto the pillows in relief, his next question surfaced on his lips, “how did I get out?” 

Cas smiled guiltily, “I went back for you.” 

Dean felt his stomach flip, “alone!?” 

“No. I told the hospital where you were, they sent a rescue team and I came along to… you know… deal with the demon,” Cas replied. His eyes suddenly moved away from Dean’s, his deep voice sounded broken when he spoke. “There was so much blood Dean, they didn’t think you were going to make it.” Dean thought it best not to tell Cas that he hadn’t wanted to make, that he had seriously contemplated staying with his father in that tunnel and walking into the light. 

Instead Dean said, “well I’m here now. The demon, is she…”

Cas nodded, “she’s dead, I killed her myself. Well, that is after she had been riddled with fifty bullets that hadn’t left a scratch.” 

Dean laughed for two seconds before reaching to his side in pain, he shifted in the bed, “so, when can I get out of here?” 

“Doctors say three days.” Cas replied. 

“And Sam?” 

“Sam still needs at least a week.” 

Dean finally asked the question that had been rolling around in the back of his mind since he had woken up, “where’s Baby?” 

Cas grinned, “Don’t you worry Dean, I found her, she’s in the parking lot.” 

Dean sighed in relief, “good Cas, that’s good.” 

There was silence for a moment before Cas said, “Dean,” 

Dean turned his head to look at Cas, “Cas,” 

“Dean, I thought,” Cas paused, not sure how to continue. Cas decided to start again, “I’m not used to human emotions, but, when I saw them carry you up from that basement, I thought…” Cas swallowed,   
not wanting to meet Dean’s eyes, “you were dead Dean, they had to restart your heart. I thought you weren’t going to come back.”

Dean reached out a hand towards Cas, wincing as the gauze snagged on the cut underneath. Dean gripped Cas’s shoulder, “I’m here now, Cas.” 

Cas looked up at Dean, his blue eyes a glassy shean, “you didn’t want to come back did you?” 

Dean worked around the question, “I had to come back Cas, for Sammy, for you.”

Dean pulled his hand away and let it rest beside him on the bed. Before Cas could say anything more a nurse bustled into the room, “Mr. Jackson it’s good to see you awake.” 

Dean flashed the nurse a smile, “well it had to happen sometime, sleeping doesn’t agree with me.” 

“Mr. Jackson, we’d like to keep you here for a few more days just to make sure everything is healing.” 

Dean grinned again, “If you’re the one that’s going to be checking up on me, then that’s fine by me.” 

The nurse blushed as she moved to check Dean’s wounds. “Mr. Jackson-

“Oh please, call me Dean.” Dean saw Cas roll his eyes out of the corner of his eye.

“Dean,” the nurse said, “can you tell me how you got these wounds.”

“Well this crazy psycho was torturing my brother and Cas here, and I managed to get free and hold her off so they could escape. Then she started to use me as a cutting board and the last thing I   
remember is her slitting my wrists.” Dean’s words were slurred and choppy and Cas attributed it to the drugs that were being pumped into Dean’s system. 

“You’ll be happy to know that your brother is expected to make a full recovery and the woman that kidnapped you was taken down.” The nurse said as she checked Dean’s eyes then redressed his bandages and left Dean in Cas’s company. 

As Dean started to drift off again he could have sworn something warm slipped into his hand, fingers intertwining with his.


	4. Chapter 4

Dean was shoveling pudding into his mouth two days later when the nurse came striding in. “How we lookin’ today, Doc?” Dean asked over his mouthful. 

“Your wounds are healing nicely, you should be good to go by tomorrow,” The nurse replied. 

Dean grinned, pudding dripping from the corners of his mouth. The nurse gave him an amused smile as she moved over to check the monitors by his bedside. “What?” Dean asked when she shot him yet another smile filled with laughter. 

“Nothing, It’s just that most people in your position would be grumbling about the pain or about how cramped the hospital room is, but you, you smile over pudding.” 

Dean shrugged, another spoonful making its way to his mouth, “I hate hospitals as much as the next guy, but I’m not going to say no to free food.” 

“Fair enough,” the nurse said. 

Just then Cas came into the room, his eyes darted from Dean to the nurse, Dean waved him in and Cas awkwardly shuffled to sit by Dean’s bed. The nurse left and Dean scraped his pudding container clean, “what’s the word, Cas?” 

“You can visit Sam now if you’d like.” 

Dean swung the covers away from his body and sat up, “awesome.” 

Dean stood and Cas led him down the hallway to Sam’s room which was only about ten doors down from Dean. When Dean entered the room Sam looked up, “Hey Sammy,” Dean grinned. 

“Hey Dean,” Sam replied, a grin of his own spreading across his face. 

Dean plopped down in the seat by Sam’s bed, wincing slightly as his still bruised ribs endured the shock, “How’re you holding up?” 

“Not so bad,” Sam replied. 

“What do the doctors say?” Dean asked. 

“That I’m lucky she missed my heart,” Sam joked. 

Dean smirked slightly but he felt his heart leap at the mere thought of what could have happened had Apopis stabbed Sam only half an inch to the left. Sam turned his eyes on Cas, “How’re you doing Cas?” 

“I’m fine,” Cas replied, “I escaped without too much injury.” 

Sam looked Dean up and down, his eyes traveling over the bruises on his face and the bandages that were still wrapped around his arms, “Looks like she did a number on you.” 

Dean grimaced slightly, “well, she wasn’t too pleased when you and Cas got away.” 

Sam’s eyes drifted downwards, “I’m sorry,” 

“It’s not your fault Sam, none of this is your fault.” 

“I should have been able to fight her.” 

“No Sam, I should have saved you sooner.” 

“Would you two stop trying to blame yourselves for everything,” Cas’s voice made the brothers turn to face him. “What? It’s the same argument everytime, you always try and take the fall for each other,   
but it’s never either of your faults.” 

Dean shook his head, “it’s always my fault.” 

“No, Dean, it’s not,” Cas said as he came to stand beside Dean.

“I’m supposed to protect him,” Dean muttered. 

“But who’s going to protect you?” Cas asked. 

“Nobody has to protect me,” Dean replied. 

“It’s not your job to keep me safe Dean,” Sam said. 

“Yes it is,” Dean retorted, “that’s always been my job Sammy, ever since mom died it’s been my job to protect you.” 

“Dean, I’m old enough to take care of myself, you don’t have to keep sacrificing yourself for me. I’m not a little kid anymore.” 

“You’re still my younger brother,” Dean said, his words were starting to become slurred. “I’m always going to do my best to protect you.” 

“Dean?” Cas asked, coming closer to Dean’s shoulder and shaking him slightly.

“Mmm?” Dean asked, turning his head to Cas. His eyes were glassy and they didn’t seem to be able to focus on anything. Dean felt like he was falling even though everything around him was standing still. 

“Dean!” Sam’s voice sounded like it was coming through fog. Someone was shaking him but Dean didn’t feel like responding, something was dragging him down and he didn’t seem to be able to crawl   
back up. 

There was a faint buzz and Dean subconsciously knew that Sam had pressed the emergency button by his bed. Soon, something bright was shining in his eyes and he was being lifted from his chair onto a stretcher. Dean had no control over his body, everything felt numb. Dean saw Cas out of the corner of his eye as he moved along with the stretcher. Cas was yelling, but Dean wasn’t registering the words, his mind felt like it was clouding over. 

Dean was barely aware of the change in scenery as he was rushed into a operating room. His eyes closed without him wanting them to and darkness seemed to consume him, swirling around him like a black cloud.


	5. Chapter 5

The beeping of a machine drew Dean to consciousness and his eyes focused on his hospital room. There was a blood bag hanging to his left and once again Dean saw Cas sitting anxiously to his right. 

“Dean.” 

“What happened?” Dean asked, his voice came out hoarse and he broke into a fit of coughing. 

“Don’t try to talk, you wore yourself out screaming,” Cas replied. 

“Screaming?” Dean asked, ignoring Cas’ warning not to speak. 

Cas looked away from Dean, “from the pain.” 

“Pain?” Dean echoed. 

“Yes,” Cas replied. “The doctors say you were poisoned. Even after they sedated you you wouldn't stop screaming. Do you remember anything?” 

Dean shook his head and with effort said, “no.” 

Cas’ eyes moved back up to Dean, he was staring at him with concern in his blue eyes, “It sounded awful, Dean. Like you were back in hell.”

“I don’t…” Dean trailed off, finding it difficult to continue. 

“Apopis must have poisoned you,” Cas said. 

“Must’ve,” Dean replied hoarsely. 

“What did I say about talking,” Cas said harshly. 

“You’re the one that keeps asking me questions.” His retort was barely above a whisper but Cas heard it. 

“You’re right, sorry. I’ll leave you to get some rest.” 

Cas stood to go but Dean put a hand out, catching Cas’ trenchcoat, “don’t go,” he said quietly. 

Cas grabbed Dean’s hand from where it was on his coat and sat down, “okay Dean, I won’t go anywhere.” 

Dean grinned, “good, cuz you’re mine, my angel Cas, you’re my angel.” 

Cas’ cheeks burned red slightly, “Dean, I think the drugs are getting to you.” 

Dean’s head lolled to the side, “I love you Cas.” 

Dean didn’t know why he said it, but there it was, out in the open, and there was no way Cas hadn’t heard. Dean could easily chalk it up to the mountains of morphine he was being given but some part of   
him knew it wasn’t the drugs that had been talking. 

“I love you too, Dean.” Cas’s voice was soft and Dean turned to face him again, surprise lighting up his eyes. 

“You do?” 

“Of course I do,” Cas said. 

“Well then, what are you still doing over there, come here.” 

Cas moved cautiously beside Dean and Dean pulled him down into a kiss. It was short but full of passion and when they broke apart they were both blushing, “Dean,” Cas began. 

Dean put up a hand, “Don’t ruin the moment Cas,” Cas nodded as he sat back down in his chair, his hand in Dean’s. 

It was a few days later that Dean was released from the hospital, Sam along with him. As Dean slid into the driver's seat of the Impala he let out a content sigh, “oh, I’ve missed you Baby.” 

Cas was sitting shotgun, his hand in Dean’s, and Sam was grinning in the backseat, “you know it’s about time you two got together.” 

“Shut your face,” Dean snapped but he was smiling as he gave Cas a quick kiss before starting the car. 

“So, where are we off to?” Sam asked. 

Dean turned to Sam and smirked, “find us a case Sammy, we got work to do.”


End file.
